*Best vacuum for allergies – What to Consider When Buying

January 26, 2018 By Henry G. Clark

Allergies and asthma can have significant side effects and cause continued and often debilitating illness to sufferers, causing them a reduced or impaired quality of life. Minimizing exposure to dust, dust mites, dirt and debris can in no small part, aid in the prevention of new or exacerbated symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, wheezing and itching. Whether it is you or a loved one that suffers from allergies and asthma, it is important that you make decisions and take action that will mitigate the onset or advancement of these health conditions. One of the key ways that you can do this is to research, consider and purchase the best vacuum for allergies and asthma. Doing so will go a long way towards improving any symptoms and make for improved health and well-being.

In this buying guide, we will help you to examine some of the key features and functions you need to consider when looking at the best vacuum for allergies and asthma. There are so many brands and models of vacuum cleaners available in the marketplace, so how do you make a distinction between them all? We have taken some of the guess work out of this purchasing process by examining –

What type of vacuum cleaner to purchase

Whether the cleaner should be bagless

How to maintain the effectiveness of the vacuum cleaner’s filtration system

How to eliminate vacuum cleaning odours

What accessories you should look for to help you use your vacuum cleaner most effectively and efficiently

Before you commence your product specific research, read our step by step guide on what to look for when buying the best vacuum for allergies and asthma…

Upright or Canister?

One of the first things you will need to consider when thinking about purchasing the best vacuum for allergies is what type of vacuum cleaner you need. There are a range of vacuum brands and models in both the upright and canister or barrel options.

Many of the more recent upright models also come in lightweight versions which are ideal for those that have limited mobility. Upright vacuum cleaners are ideal for people who have deep plush carpets where there is a need to dig below the upper surface of the carpet.

The canister or barrel vacuum cleaners are more preferable if you have rugs, mats and floor boards, as they glide seamlessly across the upper layer of the surface. It is important that you know exactly what and how you need to vacuum in order to find the best model for your specific needs.

Minimizing Your Exposure to Dust, Dirt & Debris

If you or someone in your family is prone to allergies or asthma, then when considering the best vacuum for allergies you will want to think about whether the vacuum cleaner you opt for will be bagged or bagless. Bagless vacuum cleaners deposit all of the dirt, dust and other debris into the central repository of the vacuum.

When full, this chamber needs to be manually opened and tipped into the rubbish or waste bin, thereby exposing you to all of its contents as they float into the air. Accordingly, you may want to think about acquiring a vacuum cleaner that uses auto sealing bags.

This means that when using the machine, all of the dirt, dust and debris is captured and stored within the self-sealing bag. When the bag is full, it is simply removed from the chamber, disposed of in the waste bin, and then replaced. Your exposure to the contents of the bag are significantly reduced.

The Benefits of a New HEPA Filter

Another consideration when researching the best vacuum for allergies is what type of filtration system the vacuum cleaner has. If you or someone in your family suffers from allergies or asthma then you will absolutely be wanting to opt for a machine that has a filtration system that is securely fitted and where no dust can escape during the vacuuming process.

While most new vacuum cleaners come fitted with a HEPA filter, which is powerful and effective, over time the HEPA filter will suffer from natural wear and tear. So, while filters initially can be washed and re-used, you will need to keep in mind that for optimised high quality and sealed airflow, it is important that the filter be replaced regularly. These filters are commonly available and not overly expensive.

Cleaning Doesn’t Have to Smell Bad

There is no doubt that after you have vacuumed the carpet you are likely to be left with an odour in the room. Even having the best upright and bagged vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter can still result in a smell. To eliminate this problem, and with a view to offering what they believe is the best vacuum for allergies,a number of manufacturers have developed and now include in their cleaners, technology that is specifically designed to eliminate vacuum odours.

Conversely, in the laundry section at the local supermarket, for a small outlay of a couple of dollars you can purchase odour elimination powders that are sprinkled onto the carpet before vacuuming, left for a few moments and then vacuumed up with other dust, dirt and debris as part of the cleaning process. But be aware that sometimes this odour elimination powder can settle into the deep lining of the carpet and be difficult to vacuum effectively. So on balance, you may elect to opt for a vacuum cleaner that automates this process so that you don’t even have to give it a second thought.

Attachments For Getting Into Those Hard To Reach Areas

Given that many allergy sufferers need to ensure that their bedroom, lounge and other areas of the house are as dust and dirt free as possible, when you are searching for the best vacuum for allergies in the market, you will want to also research what types of attachments are offered with the product you are considering.

For example, this is evident with some upright vacuum cleaners that offer edge extension tools or nozzles. These tools allow you to vacuum along skirting and cupboard edges, around window ledges, behind and in and around cupboards and table / chair legs, and under beds.

Given that you know your home better than anyone else, take a moment to think about what you will need to vacuum under and around, and what accessories would be most effective in getting into those hard to reach places so that you are able to conduct a comprehensive vacuum clean of each room. A great variety of accessories and extensions exist on the market, so be aware of why you might need them and what they can do for you.

If you suffer from allergies or asthma and have had bad experiences in the past with vacuum cleaners that release dust, dirt or other debris,you will be glad to know that technology in this area has improved dramatically in recent years. From on-board filtration systems, to specially designed auto sealing bags to trap any dust and dirt, vacuum cleaner technology now offers a way to prevent the symptoms that allergy or asthma sufferers once had to endure in the name of keeping their houses clean.

A wide variety of new and more efficient designs in the vacuum cleaner market now provide customers with more choice than ever before, and so finding and buying the best vacuum for allergies and asthma suffers is a streamlined process.

Editors Choice: Best vacuum for allergies

Looking for the best vacuum cleaner for pets and allergies. Here we look at 5 models currently available at Amazon.com, ranging from less than $200 to upwards of $600. We looked at three upright cleaners and 2 robots. Let’s see how they stack up, performance-wise.

Eureka Boss Smart-Vac Upright HEPA Vacuum Cleaner

The most affordable model on our list, this Eureka Boss has onboard tools with a hose and a 30ft power cord for cleaning the whole house. It has a 15-inch cleaning path and a 3-stage dust trap system.

The HEPA filtration system also makes this a good value. This is a rugged workhorse of a vacuum cleaner, with a “Power Paw” attachment that’s great for picking up pet hair from upholstery. It’s also a big, heavy appliance that makes it difficult to clean stairs, and a short hose attachment doesn’t help.

Click Here to See more Photos & Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Shark Rocket TruePet Ultra-Light Upright

The Shark Rocket is lighter and much more maneuverable than a full sized upright. Equipped with the Shark “Never Loses Suction or Power” technology, it easily adapts to floor or above-floor cleaning. It has powerful suction and is effective on carpets and floors, but doesn’t offer HEPA filtration.

The attachments make it handy for cars and other tight spaces, but attachment storage is cumbersome, and some aren’t very easy to use. In particular, the motorized hand attachment can present a struggle for some. A great choice for those who mainly need it to clean floors, with a little extra work those attachments can still be handy.

Click Here to See more Photos & Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Neato XV Signature Pro Pet& Allergy Robot Vacuum Cleaner

The first of the robot cleaners on our list, the Neato is good at moving around the house across multiple floor types. It features an easy to use, programmable menu that allows you to schedule cleaning.

The Neato has been compared favorably to more expensive Roomba models when it comes to suction, although ultimately robot options just aren’t as powerful as uprights.

Clogging can be an issue, and a common source of frustration is the frequent charging this model requires, even to complete one room. But since it finds its own way back to the charger, you can truly set it and forget it.

Click Here to See more Photos & Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

4. iRobot Roomba 870 Vacuum Cleaning Robot For Pets and Allergies

The other robot on our list is the aforementioned Roomba. This robot is built tough, but is easy on the furniture, and comparatively clog-free. It switches floor surfaces well, and has suction that rivals some uprights. It also features a long battery life. Most importantly to allergy sufferers, this robot features a HEPA filter to remove even fine particulates. Like the Neato, it’s programmable. Some dark colors or other obstacles may confuse the sensors, and mileage may vary when it comes to random changes of direction. Given a wide berth, and allowed to take its time, the Roomba should clean the areas it gets to well.

Click Here to See more Photos & Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Plus Allergy

Our last and most expensive model is another upright. The Dyson Cine-tic is a sellout item on Amazon. Almost as heavy as the Eureka, the Dyson has formidable suction and is easier to handle.

It features HEPA filtration without any filters, which is a cost savings to consider. With easy to use attachments, this model will indeed clean the entire house, top to bottom. Despite its power, its not the most rugged vacuum on the market, and you’ll want to take care not to crack or break some of the plastic components.

Click Here to See more Photos & Read Customer Reviews on Amazon

Final Verdict

If a primary concern is controlling pet hair and other allergens in the home, than a robot vacuum is not recommended as a stand-alone vacuum cleaner. They are incapable of cleaning anything but floors, and probably not even those as well or efficiently as a comparable upright in the hands of a person.

Of the uprights reviewed, in this case the best value doesn’t seem be a higher-priced model, unless ease of movement is your primary concern. In fact, the humble Eureka Boss is our recommendation for the best value. Although it is the least maneuverable, and heaviest, the other so-called “lightweight” models are not in fact much lighter than the Eureka. With its pulling power, HEPA filtration, durability and whole-house capability.